49ers benefit from Baltimore practices

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The sight of Colin Kaepernick mingling with Baltimore Ravens players and signing autographs for their fans would have seemed unthinkable 18 months ago, when the 49ers lost in Super Bowl XLVII.

"You have to move on from that," Kaepernick said after the 49ers concluded three consecutive days of practice at the Ravens facility, where Super Bowl reminders abound. "We're focused on this season and getting better and trying to win a Super Bowl this year.

"This is the best way for us to get better, so we came out here, practiced, tried to get us better and get the Ravens better."

The joint practices bred positive reviews, no fisticuffs and a brotherly bond that was forged beyond just the coaches, Jim and John Harbaugh. Players and coaches openly pined for a reunion Feb. 1 in a Super Bowl rematch.

"Not one complaint. That's rare to get," Jim Harbaugh said before his 49ers flew home Monday afternoon, ending a seven-day stay in the Baltimore area that included a 23-3 loss in Thursday night's exhibition opener.

"Hats off to the Ravens organization and John Harbaugh," Jim continued. "I'm just so proud of him, watching him fulfill his duties, the way he runs his team and the kind of team they are. Tight ship. It's impressive."

The 49ers' Harbaugh said he'll take "a couple ideas" back home to tighten up the 49ers' ship but didn't want to divulge them, humorously saying he would want to take credit for them down the road.

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For a couple of reasons, it's up in the air whether the 49ers and Ravens will do this again at next year's training camp. One, the teams will meet in the 2015 regular season at Levi's Stadium. Two, Jim Harbaugh's contract status could be complicated if he doesn't land an extension after this season.

Of the "10 or 11 reasons" the teams arranged the sessions, both coaches thought seeing different players and schemes proved most beneficial. For instance, Jim Harbaugh noted that Kaepernick got to see "disguises in the secondary."

"You get different looks, different players, different techniques, so you have to pick up all those things in practice like you do in games," Kaepernick said.

What wasn't seen over three days were any fights, just as the Harbaugh brothers requested.

Kaepernick attributed the mostly peaceful practices to Saturday's first walk-through session, saying that's when it sunk in that "we knew we were here to try get better, that it wasn't, 'We're going to fight you guys.' Hopefully we see them during the season, because if we do, it's in the Super Bowl."

Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd looked solid participating in individual drills. He did not join the team sessions.

Running back LaMichael James, who dislocated his right elbow earlier in camp, caught swing passes in warm-up drills and showed no discomfort.

Center Daniel Kilgore's smooth transition to the starting unit includes no botched snaps in camp. It appeared he might have had one Monday, but Kaepernick blamed it on a running back tipping the shotgun snap.

Aldon Smith had what Jim Harbaugh called a "heck of a week, a heck of a training camp. He's taking his game to another level." The NFL still has not announced how Smith might be disciplined; he met Thursday with commissioner Roger Goodell.

Tight end Vernon Davis' camp performance was highlighted by Harbaugh, and Kaepernick noted that Davis looks faster and is running crisp routes.

Watching practice was 49ers fan and Bay Area native Bud Norris, the Baltimore Orioles' starting pitcher Monday night against the New York Yankees. With his parents in tow, Norris described the teasing he gets for being a 49ers fan in Baltimore, especially after the 2013 Super Bowl that he attended.

"All the Baltimore fans gave me a hard time, but I bleed red and gold," said Norris, noting he grew up idolizing Jerry Rice and Steve Young and now has the "utmost respect" for Frank Gore.